MANPOWER (Warner Brothers, 1941), directed by Raoul Walsh, stars an powerhouse cast of Edward G. Robinson, Marlene Dietrich and George Raft in a routinely made screenplay dealing with the life and times of a couple of hard-working linemen. Following the pattern to Walsh's earlier directorial assignment, THEY DRIVE BY NIGHT (1940) featuring Raft and Humphrey Bogart as truck driving brothers, with Ann Sheridan and Ida Lupino the female co-stars, the surprise of MANPOWER comes not so much for its familiar plotting but the interesting casting of Marlene Dietrich (on loan-out assignment from Universal) in a sort of role that could have gone to either Sheridan or Lupino of THEY DRIVE BY NIGHT fame.
The plot revolves around linemen working for the Pacific Power and Light Company: Hank McHenry (Edward G. Robinson), foreman of the crew, and Johnny Marshall (George Raft), his closest friend working directly under him. Called out on an emergency assignment during a thunderous storm, the maintenance crew risk their lives surrounded by high voltage wires dangling from telephone poles. As Hank nearly loses his life by having his foot tangled in a hot wire, Antoine "Pop" Duval (Egon Breacher) loses his own by not getting out of the way of a live wire. Because Johnny happens to be Pop's closest friend who earlier arranged for his daughter's early parole from prison, Johnny, accompanied by Hank, ends up breaking the news to Fay (Marlene Dietrich). Though Fay's lack of emotion towards her father's death leaves Johnny cold and angry, Hank, however, feels differently towards her. Working as a hostess at a clip joint called The Midnight Club, run by Smiley Quinn (Barton MacLane), Fay meets with one of the linemen, whom she later marries, only to put a strain on their (Hank and Johnny's) friendship.
Others members of the Warners stock players appearing in this production include Frank McHugh (Omaha); Alan Hale (Jumbo Wells); Eve Arden (Dolly); Joyce Compton (Scarlet); and Ben Weldon (Al Hurst). Highlights consist of Walter Catlett (Sidney Whipple) as a high strung hospital patient who falls victim of numerous childish pranks from the visiting, fun-loving linemen; while Billy Wayne (Benny, the counterman) gets his quota of laughs in the dining room sequence by calling out the food orders. There's also Ward Bond playing Eddie Adams, another fellow lineman, who, on numerous occasions, "gets out of line." Marlene Dietrich sings one brief song, "He Lied and I Listened," while Beal Wong gets more time vocalizing, "Chinatown, My Chinatown."
While credited as an original screenplay by Richard Macauley and Jerry Wald, much of it appears to be reworked from earlier screen material, mainly First National's own TIGER SHARK (1932) with Edward G. Robinson and Richard Arlen as tuna fisherman in love with the same girl (Zita Johann). Warners production of SLIM (1937) featuring Pat O'Brien, Henry Fonda and Margaret Lindsay, also about linemen, is often an overlooked item bearing little connection to MANPOWER. Even so, movies aren't made, they're remade (or recycled).
Though basically known for playing crime figures, MANPOWER does offer both Robinson and Raft a chance to act in something other than tough guys holding guns. Of the two feature films to team Robinson and Raft (their second being A BULLET FOR JOEY (United Artists, 1955)), MANPOWER, has become the most worthwhile and revived of their collaborations on commercial television. On the other hand, Dietrich's Warner Brothers debut should have been something special, or at least different. A costume or biographical drama, for instance, in European setting and lavish sets. However, it did offer her a chance working opposite Robinson and Raft for the only time, thus becoming a worthy attraction to what's basically a man's movie. Though Dietrich had been conflicted between two men before, her finest opportunity are the ones opposite rugged he-men types of Randolph Scott and John Wayne in both Universal's 1942 productions of THE SPOILERS and PITTSBURGH.
With a great start of action, comedy and crisp dialogue, a pity MANPOWER didn't fulfill its full potential at 103 minutes. Even through some of its weaker passages, MANPOWER is still be electrifying, thanks to Raoul Walsh's know-how direction and skill. Available on DVD, MANPOWER can also be found on Turner Classic Movies cable channel. (**1/2)
The plot revolves around linemen working for the Pacific Power and Light Company: Hank McHenry (Edward G. Robinson), foreman of the crew, and Johnny Marshall (George Raft), his closest friend working directly under him. Called out on an emergency assignment during a thunderous storm, the maintenance crew risk their lives surrounded by high voltage wires dangling from telephone poles. As Hank nearly loses his life by having his foot tangled in a hot wire, Antoine "Pop" Duval (Egon Breacher) loses his own by not getting out of the way of a live wire. Because Johnny happens to be Pop's closest friend who earlier arranged for his daughter's early parole from prison, Johnny, accompanied by Hank, ends up breaking the news to Fay (Marlene Dietrich). Though Fay's lack of emotion towards her father's death leaves Johnny cold and angry, Hank, however, feels differently towards her. Working as a hostess at a clip joint called The Midnight Club, run by Smiley Quinn (Barton MacLane), Fay meets with one of the linemen, whom she later marries, only to put a strain on their (Hank and Johnny's) friendship.
Others members of the Warners stock players appearing in this production include Frank McHugh (Omaha); Alan Hale (Jumbo Wells); Eve Arden (Dolly); Joyce Compton (Scarlet); and Ben Weldon (Al Hurst). Highlights consist of Walter Catlett (Sidney Whipple) as a high strung hospital patient who falls victim of numerous childish pranks from the visiting, fun-loving linemen; while Billy Wayne (Benny, the counterman) gets his quota of laughs in the dining room sequence by calling out the food orders. There's also Ward Bond playing Eddie Adams, another fellow lineman, who, on numerous occasions, "gets out of line." Marlene Dietrich sings one brief song, "He Lied and I Listened," while Beal Wong gets more time vocalizing, "Chinatown, My Chinatown."
While credited as an original screenplay by Richard Macauley and Jerry Wald, much of it appears to be reworked from earlier screen material, mainly First National's own TIGER SHARK (1932) with Edward G. Robinson and Richard Arlen as tuna fisherman in love with the same girl (Zita Johann). Warners production of SLIM (1937) featuring Pat O'Brien, Henry Fonda and Margaret Lindsay, also about linemen, is often an overlooked item bearing little connection to MANPOWER. Even so, movies aren't made, they're remade (or recycled).
Though basically known for playing crime figures, MANPOWER does offer both Robinson and Raft a chance to act in something other than tough guys holding guns. Of the two feature films to team Robinson and Raft (their second being A BULLET FOR JOEY (United Artists, 1955)), MANPOWER, has become the most worthwhile and revived of their collaborations on commercial television. On the other hand, Dietrich's Warner Brothers debut should have been something special, or at least different. A costume or biographical drama, for instance, in European setting and lavish sets. However, it did offer her a chance working opposite Robinson and Raft for the only time, thus becoming a worthy attraction to what's basically a man's movie. Though Dietrich had been conflicted between two men before, her finest opportunity are the ones opposite rugged he-men types of Randolph Scott and John Wayne in both Universal's 1942 productions of THE SPOILERS and PITTSBURGH.
With a great start of action, comedy and crisp dialogue, a pity MANPOWER didn't fulfill its full potential at 103 minutes. Even through some of its weaker passages, MANPOWER is still be electrifying, thanks to Raoul Walsh's know-how direction and skill. Available on DVD, MANPOWER can also be found on Turner Classic Movies cable channel. (**1/2)